We had an awesome and adventurous time part pedaling bikes through the streets of Paris, France. Never did we step foot on a bus or into a taxi – the Velib (Paris’ public bike sharing system) was too fun and easy to access. For just under 4€ a day we both we able to bike to our hearts content and put our traffic biking skills to the test.
The system works well and the city does a good job of tackling maintenance problems when they arise, though Stead did experience a pedal malfunction when the his left pedal and post fell off mid-ride. But, the beauty of the Velib is you simply find another station, put your bike in and take another. I have to admit, at this point I was hot and thirsty so I was frustrated, but Stead kept us going with his skilled map reading and had us in a park to take a break in no time.
We also enjoyed a fantastic set of tours with the Fat Tire Bike Tours company. At first we thought we were lost and late meeting our tour group but we found them in the nick of time. Our guide, Kirsty (an awesome girl from Scotland) led us through parks, archways, over bridges, and along the Siene River. She shared interesting stories about Nepolian and the French Revolution, as well as the kings of France’s past and how they served (or didn’t serve) their people.
The tour began at 3 and ended close to midnight, so we covered a lot of ground and enjoyed a picnic in a garden, ice cream at sunset, and sipped wine on a short boat cruise down the river under the glow of the Eiffel Tower.
Oh, and did I mention Stead served as the Ass-Man (assistant manager) during the tour? He brought up the rear and helped the guide know the group was together. 😁